I received the very interesting story on
January 29, 2008, and felt it was worthy to add to this page as I have been
unable to locate any details regarding the ships designers over the years, and
this story makes total sense! I wish to thank MrVandersteel
for sending it to me and enlightening me and all who will be reading this
article.

Question
– “Who Really Designed The Oceanic”?

By WilliamVandersteel - Alpine, NJ – USA

Little known history behind the identity of
the original designers of the SS Oceanic, steadfastly denied by the Italian
shipbuilder and the CEO of Home Lines, is the true story of how it came into
being. It goes back to a meeting between AristotleOnassis,
JohnW.Hupkus,
Managing Director of the Dutch shipyard, Kon. Mijde Schelde
and the writer, WilliamVandersteel,
USA
representative for de Schelde.
The meeting took place in Monaco
in 1957.

AriOnassis had asked for the meeting to discuss his proposal for the
De Schelde Shipyard to develop a design for two ships, specifically
designed as cruise ships, and with trans
Atlantic capability, to operate in the Mediterranean during
the winter and the Caribbean
during the summer. Onassis
and Hupkes were friends and, except for specifying cruise speed and passenger
capacity, Onassis
left all design details to de Schelde.

In 1953, de Schelde had completed the
Kungsholm II for the Swedish American Line and, during the maiden voyage
to New York, which I attended, I mentioned to Hupkes that the new Kungsholm was
a nice design in the traditional sense and observed that I could suggest
some "improvements" to bring the design and styling into
the modern age. After discussing my ideas, Hupkes was intrigued and suggested I
meet with his naval architect during my next visit to Holland.
In 1955, I met with de Schelde's naval
architect, Mr.Pieterse
to discuss my ideas. Pieterse was a young chap and, initially, less than
enthusiastic with my ideas. Unfortunately, he died prematurely from cancer at
age 36, shortly after completing the design for the Onassis
cruise ships.

As for my background, I am an aeronautical
engineer with a lot of experience as a youngster, sailing all over the
globe with my family, giving me an abiding interest in ships. I also
gained some styling design experience with my first job, after graduating from
MIT, with the General Motors Styling Section for car design. The
job lasted only 8 months when World War II broke out and I
volunteered to join the US Army Air Corps to be trained as a fighter
test pilot.

De Schelde's Naval Architect, Mr.Pieterse
and I sat down in 1955 to discuss my ideas, briefly outlined as follows;

Change the conventional curved sheer
line to a straight line, parallel with the water line. Eliminate camber
to make flat decks, like floors in any building ashore. Neither sheer
nor camber serve any purpose on a large ship, or any ship for that
matter, and they only add to cost. At first, Pieterse was horrified
at the thought of a ship without a graceful sheer line as he
had designed for the Kungsholm. Pieterse tried to defend camber on
structural ground but eventually conceded that the same structural integrity
could be achieved without camber. To achieve proper styling, all decks must
be flat and parallel with the waterline.

Next, I insisted that all promenade
decks be fully glass enclosed. I knew from experience that the first thing an
experienced ocean traveller does after boarding, is to run for the deck steward
and reserve a deck chair on the limited space of the fantail (stern), the only
place where you don't get blown away. Also, I insisted that the only promenade
deck be at the very top level, also fully glassed in, with an unobstructed
view of the ocean.

I also insisted that the lifeboats be
stowed on a lower deck and not on the top deck so they would not detract
from ship's styling. My attempt to substitute life rafts for life boats was
apparently not allowed by Lloyds'
rules, though they are obviously a safer and better solution. Naval ships only
use life rafts even in the face of much larger risk.

Then, as a main feature of the ship, I
envisaged an open space near the ship's center, with a transparent sliding roof
and a swimming pool as the central attraction. The beam sides to be fully
glassed in with all seating (deck chairs) facing inwards, overlooking the
swimming pool. The presumption is that passengers would rather stare at Bikinis
than look at the ocean which they can see from their cabins or top deck. The
sliding roof would close during inclement weather. I named this the Lido
deck though I do not know if this name was original at that time.

After Pieterse completed the design, he had
become an enthusiastic supporter of the new configuration and conceded
that eliminating sheer and amber might reduce the total construction
cost by as much as 10%. I was given a ten page copy of the completed design and
I was satisfied that Pieterse had faithfully followed all my suggestions.

De Schelde's proposal and drawings were presented by JohnHupkes
to AriOnassis
in a Paris
meeting sometime late1955. I was not present and do not know what transpired.
Hupkes did indicate to me that Onassis
was not ready to proceed with his plans. Though I have no first hand knowledge,
I surmise that Onassis
conveyed the drawings to his friend EugenEugenides,
owner of the Home Lines. The Home Lines eventually contracted with the Italian
shipbuilder CantieriReunitidel Adriatico
of Monfalcone, Italy
to build the Oceanic and it was delivered in 1963.

The significant fact is that every cruise
liner, without exception as far as I know, built since the completion of
the Oceanic has followed every feature and configuration which led to
the Oceanic's original design. That neither the Italian builder or
the Home Lines, as far as I know, has ever claimed credit for introducing
a wholly new design concept for cruise ships, probably stems from
their concern that such a claim could lead to
the revelation that the original design was made by Mr. Pieterse, Naval
Architect for the Kon. Mij. De Schelde
of Vlissingen,
Holland.

WilliamVandersteel.

Her History

SS Oceanic was built by CantieriRiuniti
dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone in 1962, and she was launched on January 15, 1963.
Then after what was nothing short of a lengthy fitting out process she was
finally delivered to Home Lines over two years later on March 1, 1965.

The super sleek looking SS Oceanic on the building
slip and ready to be launched January in 1963

From the PaoloBaldazzi
collection

SS Oceanic was the first purpose-built Trans
Atlantic liner for Home Lines and she was designed as a two-class liner to
operate in summer on the Homes Lines Canadian route from Cuxhaven,
Le Havre,
and Southampton.

The elegant looking SS Oceanic
seen in the mid 60's!

From the author’s collection

As built, Oceanic accommodated up to 1,600,
configured as follows. 230 first class and 1,370 tourist class. First class had
8 major deluxe suites, 58 mini suites, 58 deluxe cabins, all having a lounge or
lounge area. In addition, there were 20 single cabins. All of the 500 tourist
class cabins had two lower beds and two upper Pullmans,
accommodating 2, 3, or 4 passengers. All lower beds converted during the day to
become a sofa. All cabins had private facilities. However, for cruise duties
her capacity was lowered to 1,200 One Class passengers.

Other onboard features.

Closed circuit TV screens in public rooms,
apartments and deluxe cabins. TV cameras for recording cruise activities and or
transmitting films to the theatre. One of the finest Swimming pool "Lido"
areas of any ships at the time of 10,350 sq. feet, with two adjoining pools
each of 360 sq. feet each. Total deck space of 66,350 sq feet. There is a two
level Cinema seating 420. The public rooms totalled 54,000 sq feet, with one
lounge being 7,920 sq feet for shows and dances. It is provided with a screen
for cinema projection. The spacious dining salon is famed for not having any
pillars to obstruct views. Even for her day she was equipped with the most
advanced safety and navigational equipment.

A Home Lines postcard

From the author’s collection

SS Oceanic 1965
specifications

Builders:CantieriRiunti
dell'Adriatico, Montefalcone.

Yard:1876

.

Keel Laid down:October
29, 1961.

Launched:January 15, 1963.

Completed:March 1, 1965.

Maiden Voyage:April 3,
1965.

Tonnage:39,241 GRT (Gross
Registered Tons)

.

Engines:DeLavel DR
Geared Turbines - 60,500 SHP

.

Screws:twin

.

Top Speed:26 – max 27.30
knots

.

Length Overall:772ft
– 238.5m

.

Beam:97ft – 29.4m

.

Draught:28.5 feet

– 8,589m.

Passengers:230
First Class

.

1,370
Tourist Class

.

1,200
One Class

when cruising.

Crew:560

Fully
Air-Conditioned

Denny
Brown stabilizers

However, by the time of her delivery travel
Trans Atlantic by seal had become the less favoured option due to the increased
popularity of air travel, thus the company decided to cease their regular
Trans-Atlantic line voyages almost immediately. Thus the Oceanic headed for New York
where quite soon she commenced to operate regular seven day cruises to Nassau
throughout the summer, whilst during the winter she operated extended cruises
throughout the Caribbean,
which proved to be very popular.

Maiden Voyage:

The SS Oceanic departed on her maiden voyage
to New York
on April 3 1965. Then after several Trans-Atlantic voyages having returned to New York she departed on
April 24 bound for the Bahamas
commenced her first series of regular cruise duties.

Two Personal
Stories:

GerryGilbert:

JerryGilbert of Toronto,
Canada
wrote; Home lines flew
my wife and I to Halifax
to meet SS Oceanic on her Maiden Voyage. We then sailed on her from Halifax
to New York.
An interesting incident occurred when we arrived in NYC. The stevedores
happened to be on strike and thus would not accept the ropes required for
docking. They were there on the wharves, but they just kept throwing them back
in the river. However, the captain docked the Oceanic just the same.Being a good customer of Home Lines,
later Home Lines presented me with a framed print of the ship, which I have
kept to this day.

A painting (print) of the SS Oceanic presented to Mr
& MrsGilbert

Courtesy of JerryGilbert

Debora Alba:

Apart from her Atlantic services she was also
a popular cruise ship and I received an email from Debora Alba who
stated: “I just located your site, loved to see
these classic liners and their photographs and I have never forgotten one of
the best experiences of my life. I have been on three ocean liner cruises
with the being the first being on the SS Oceanic. I am sending to you
a photograph I have taken of a lighter that I purchased aboard the ship during
the cruise. If you are interested I have further photographs as well
as memorabilia and I happy to scan these with the exact dates. Just as a
note of interest, this cruise was so exciting we (the many fabulous
people we met aboard) were able to, as a first, get the staff to open
the disco all night for the two week duration.”

This is the lighter Debora
obtained on board the SS Oceanic

Image provided by Debora Alba

This is a Home Lines official ships
photographer photo cover with the traditional image of this fine ship!

Image provided by Debora Alba

And here is the Passenger List!

The Ship is
sold:

Premier Cruise Line:

After 21 years of service and with the ever
increasing fuel costs and the arrival of newer ships, Home Line decided to sell
the Oceanic, and she was sold to Premier Cruise Line in 1985.

After an extensive refit, she was renamed
StarShip Oceanic and commenced cruising for Premier in 1986. Departing from
Port Canaveral she undertook mostly three and four night cruises to Nassau
and Salt Cay.

Renamed Big Red Boat I, she became known for
offering the best cruise value to the Bahamas,
which could be combined with a Walt Disney World vacation. Premier added to
their fleet, however, it soon became apparent that the company was in severe
financial trouble and they finally folded in 2000, leaving a fleet of fine
classic liners laid up.

Premier Cruises SS Starship Oceanic

seen from the air

Premiers Cruises publicity photo

From the author’s collection

After Premier went into bankrusy we see their ships
laid up at Freeport in
the Bahamas.
First we see the Big Red Boat I (Oceanic).

Followed by the Big Red Boat III ex TransvaalCastle,
and the ex Dutch liner SS Rotterdam, which has been restored and is now a
successful hotel in Rotterdam

Photographer
unknown – Please see photo notes at bottom of page!

Oceanic
goes Spanish

:

Pullmantur Cruises:

Following the collapse of Premier, Oceanic was
acquired by a new Spanish Cruise Company, Pullmantur Cruises who named her
Oceanic once again. She has successfully cruised for this company to the point
they have now acquired a good number of other excellent second hand ships.

Oceanic with her new bold “Pullmantur
Cruises” livery

Photographer unknown –
Please see photo notes at bottom of page!

Since entering service with Pullmantur the
Oceanic has been constantly upgraded and refitted with flammable materials
having been removed she now passed the 2010 SOLAS regulations. However, it has
been reported that Pullmantur Cruises may sell the ship in September 2009.

As indicated above, Oceanic is in a
superb condition and although due to be sold she will still undergo a dry
docking in Gibraltar in January 2009, thus obviously, even Pullmantur believes
that she has life in her yet as a cruise ship. Pullmantur hopes to sell
her to another cruise operator, as long it is not their rival Spanish
operator. Despite her age and being steam powered she is remarkably fuel
efficient. I was told by a Scandinavian engineer who has worked on her a number
of times during her refits, that she burns 6.3 tons of fuel per hour when she
sails at a maximum speed of 21 knots which gives her a daily
fuel consumption of around 150 tons. However she normally cruises at 18
knots. We know from the specifications above that when built her max speed was
27.5 knots but this came at a hefty fuel cost, but her current cruise speed
which makes her quite economical to run. As a result today she is a very
popular and successful cruise ship indeed and a viable proposition of a company
as this ship will be able to sail on with any company long past 2010 and that
would not be the case!

SS Oceanic seen in 2008 with her new low key
Pullmantur livery and red funnel

Photograph provided Pullmantur
Cruises

In February/March 2009 Pullmantur Cruises
negotiated a sale of the superb SS Oceanic to the well known Japanese Peace
Boat organization. She was destored in Barcelona
before she sailed to Japan
and her new owners in April,
where Peace Boat took delivery of her. Thankfully they decided to
retain her original name. Thus the name Oceanic has been on her hull since the
day of her launching, which is very rare indeed, although she was the Big Red
Boat I for a short time, thenever removed the Oceanic from her hull completely.
But, usually most ships are renamed when they join a new company. May the
Oceanic sail the world for good many more years yet!

News came about in January 2012
that Peace Boat had obtained the ex Carnival cruise ship that was built as the
MV Tropicale, which was their very first newly built Carnival ship in 1981.
Later she became the Italian Costa Tropicale. Then in 2005 she became the
Pacific Star for P&O Australia Cruises, however she was sold after ongoing
mechanical problems, which were fixed before the sale, to Pullmantur Cruises in
2008 and she was renamed Ocean Dream. Currently she is named the Pacific Dream
is operating under charter to the South American-based “Viagens
CVC” until April 2012 and as far as I know, she is due to join PeaceBoat
soon thereafter!

“The Oceanic” Certifications:

As I have full details of her last and when
her next survey and dry-docking were done and are due, it is obvious that she
can sail on for a considerable time as yet! Thus, it is important to understand
that Peace Boat has had her fully certified last November, and she is not due
for her next full certification until November 4, 2014.

Pullmantur’s MV Ocean Dream

A Pullmantur Image

The question is; what will Peace Boat do with
the SS The Oceanic? They may run two ships, or will they use her as a static
ship in Japan,
or use her on longer term basis in various lands around Asia? Of
course it is possible that she may be offered for sale, however as there are so
few buyers out there in these financially tight days, the options are not too
good of saving such a superb ship that is in a wonderful condition as she is
and she would be perfect as a luxury hotel, and tourist centre, etc. All we can
do is hope for the very best for this superb and one of the last great
Steamships!

Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author or from
the author’s private collection. In addition there are some images that
have been provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or
collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are some
photographs provided to me without details regarding the photographer/owner
concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make
them-selves known to me (my email address may be found on www.ssmaritime.com only), in order that due credit may be
given. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of my own photographs on
other sites, yet these individuals either refuse to provide credit or remove
them when asked, knowing full well that there is no legal comeback when it
comes to the net. However, let us show these charlatans up and do the right
thing at all times and give credit where credit is due!

This notice covers all pages, although, and I have done my best to ensure
that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on
each page, that is, when a page is updated!